From 2018 to 2022, Mr. Morrison, a conservative who was first elected in 2007, led the nation.
He oversaw the Aukus defense pact, Australia’s response to the pandemic, and he was involved in a historic scandal when he secretly nominated himself to multiple ministerial positions while serving as prime minister.
He declared on Tuesday, “The time has come for me to go back to my private life.”
Mr. Morrison, 55, announced in a statement that he would now focus on Indo-Pacific security issues by taking on “strategic advisory roles” throughout Asia.
He was a devoted Christian who expressed his excitement about “getting more involved” in his church and spending more time with his loved ones.
After Labor’s Anthony Albanese crushed the Liberal-National coalition in 2022, leaving it with fewer seats than ever before, Mr. Morrison’s retirement was long anticipated.
His government’s downfall was largely caused by Australia’s image as a climate laggard, as voters favored candidates who promised more drastic emissions reductions.
Although a delayed vaccine rollout later drew criticism, Mr. Morrison’s initial response to Covid, which included border closures, lockdowns, and test and trace protocols, is credited with helping to contain early outbreaks.
Australia’s largest trading partner, China, and the prime minister had a particularly tense relationship while he was in office.
His administration spearheaded demands for a global inquiry into the cause of Covid, which resulted in a trade spat and a protracted diplomatic embargo.
Mr. Morrison made a strategic U-turn and concentrated on strengthening regional security alliances, signing the Aukus nuclear submarine deal with the US and UK, and assisting in the formation of the Quad partnership with Japan, India, and the US.
However, the public’s opinion of him had quickly begun to decline after he chose to vacation in Hawaii during Australia’s tragic 2019–2020 bushfires.
